BellaSugar

Mole Removal Kits: Dangerous or Effective?

BellaSugar — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 09:00:41 -0700

I'm not too attached to my moles, but a DIY approach to removing them? Scary territory. It's not hard to find mole-removing creams and lotions on the Internet, and while it might be tempting to rid yourself of an unsightly dark spot, think twice before you decide to play doctor. These at-home treatments, some of which claim to take about 20 minutes to work, often require the use of an emery board or toothpick to scratch the mole down and then the application of "natural," herbal ingredients to essentially burn mole off. While, yes, some of these over-the-counter products can actually do what they're supposed to do, there are some major flaws to taking these skin treatments into your own hands, including accidental scarring or pitting of the skin. To find out the most dangerous side effect, keep reading.

Who Do These Famous Beauty Marks Belong To?

BellaSugar — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 15:00:58 -0700

These three mystery ladies have made the most of their moles. They all have gorgeous skin and smiles and have showed us that beauty marks are something to flaunt! Take the quiz to find out which beauty mark belongs to what beauty!

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To Mole or Not To Mole? That Is the Question

BellaSugar — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:10:21 -0700

One of my good friends recently got braces to correct a slight gap in his front teeth. When I saw the braces the first thing I asked was, "Why would you do that?" From my perspective, I've always found his flawed smile an endearing and signature part of his character (similar to how I feel about Lauren Hutton's or Madonna's tooth-gap).

It goes without saying that I feel similarly about Sarah Jessica Parker's chin mole, which she just had removed for cosmetic and not medical reasons. I'm all for freedom of choice, but if she were a friend of mine, I'd have told her to rock that mole indefinitely. Where do you stand on the issue? Are small flaws beautiful or would you "fix" them too?

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Holy Moley! Beauty Marks Keep You Younger

BellaSugar — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 06:00:01 -0700

Woo hoo! Cindy Crawford and the rest of the mole people have something big to celebrate. A new study reports some great news for those of us who have plentiful moles (or beauty marks, if you prefer):

Scientists claim that those with lots of moles are years younger biologically than those with mark-free skin. ... They may retain their youthful looks for longer and could be at lower risk of a host of age-related diseases such as heart disease or osteoporosis.

Could this be the reason Cindy looks amazing at 41? As someone who also has a beauty mark on her face, I'm hoping the answer is yes! Do you have moles? Have they affected the way you feel about your appearance?
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Make Your Halloween Makeup Stay The Night

BellaSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:00:46 -0700

With the wrong Halloween makeup, your cheerleader costume can become a zombie cheerleader costume by the end of the night. Makeup that stays put is imperative in pulling off the ultimate costume. Here are some tips to help your getup last the night.

Makeup stays longer on hydrated skin. Be sure not to slack on your moisturizer and eye cream.
Use professional stage makeup. "Usually over-the-counter makeup lines are called washable cream makeup, and they will smear and rub off," says Dominic Cruz, Education Director at Kryolan. If you don't have access to cake makeup, he recommends setting your look with powder or Kryolan Fixing Spray.
Choose a long-wearing or waterproof concealer, like Maybelline Cover Stick Waterproof Concealer.
Use an eye shadow base or primer, like L‘Oreal De-Crease Eyeshadow base.
Curl lashes, and use a waterproof mascara if your costume includes it. If you need to wear false lashes, bring extras and glue with you. If you need to wear colored mascara and can’t find one, try Benefit She Laq, which comes with a mascara wand applicator.
If your disguise requires flushed cheeks, layer more than one kind of blush (mousse, powder, gel, stain) to make the color last longer.
Use long-wearing eye pencil on brows instead of brow pencil. Also use it for fake moles or freckles (that means you, Marilyn).
If you need to create the illusion of big lips, use concealer all over your lips before applying either liner or lip stain and then lipstick. If you need to tweak the shape, use a reverse lip liner.

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How Do You Feel About Doctors Who "Prescribe" Cosmetic Procedures?

BellaSugar — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 06:00:29 -0700

I've been suffering a lot of dermatological trauma lately. After the Botox incident, I keep hearing stories about people who go to the dermatologist for routine care - think mole checks and the like - only to come out with pamphlets for fillers, injectables, and laser resurfacing. I'm all for doing what makes you happy when it comes to cosmetic procedures, but lately it seems like some doctors have morphed into pushy medispa aestheticians. Have you ever gone in for a skin health issue only to have your doc interrupt with an advertisement? And do you feel your level of care was affected?

Mind the Gap: 10 Celebs Who Look Great With Gap Teeth

BellaSugar — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 11:00:07 -0700

Every day we're confronted with images of celebrities who've had their teeth capped, veneered, zoom whitened, Invisaligned, and any number of other surgical and chemical processes - smiles that no real person has and that run into the thousands of dollars to create. Which is why it's refreshing when a little bit of naturalness peeps through. There's no case where this is more true than with gap teeth, which, prior to our symmetry and straightness-obsessed age, were a sign of seductive prowess (anybody remember the Wife of Bath in the Canterbury Tales? In Merry Olde England, gap teeth were quite the hot thing- kinda like Marilyn Monroe and Cindy Crawford's moles). And despite the prevailing culture, the ladies I've put together still look sexy as hell, no dentist required. So c'mon, get gappy and check these famous spaces out.

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How Would You Feel If Someone Said You Need Botox?

BellaSugar — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 07:00:16 -0700

Yesterday was rough. A routine dermatologist visit that involved checking my moles and poking around at a few clogged pores turned into a hugely upsetting event. After getting the all-clear on the important skincare stuff, the doctor said, "It's probably time to think about Botox soon."

I burst into tears.

Like many people, I'm noticing signs of aging - a smile line here, a small furrow there - and trying to keep it all in perspective. But hearing that I'm a likely candidate for Botox bummed me out. It's not that I have anything against Botox in theory, but I'm not exactly rushing to hit the needle. (Aside from snakes, needles are my biggest phobia.) I also resent the youth-obsessed culture that treats wrinkles like they're the end of the world. Furthermore, just this past weekend, a bouncer thought I was 10 years younger than I am - so I can't look that grizzled, right? Overall, I feel a little stunned, a little angry, and a little depressed - and very, very glad that today is therapy day. I'm curious: What would you feel like if someone were to say this to you?

Photo by Racchio

Six Risk Factors That Increase Your Chance of Developing a Melanoma

BellaSugar — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:00:55 -0700

Have you ever had a sunburn so extreme that it blistered? Take caution. You could be at least three times more likely to develop a melonoma. A recent study, conducted by the melanoma screening service MoleMap by Dermatologists, identified six risk factors that could pose possible warning signs. Here they are:

Natural red or blond hair.
Freckling located on the upper back area.
A history of melanoma within your family.
Teenage sunburns that resulted in blisters.
Summer jobs outdoors that lasted for three or more years during your teenage years.
Tendency to get scaly patches of skin on areas of the skin that have received sun exposure.

If one of these statements is true for you, then you are three times more likely to develop a melanoma. However, you are 10 times more at risk if two or more of these circumstances apply to you. If you're concerned, heed the advice of MoleMap director Dr. Martin Haskett. "It is important to note that although most of the questions in the survey related to sun exposure, once the risk factors are present a malanoma can appear at any time of year and in non sun-exposed body sites," he says. "This means people need to check their skin year-round and medical surveillance programs for those at highest risk."

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Women Are Stabbing and Jabbing For a Tan

BellaSugar — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 07:00:06 -0800

You know the saying, "The only safe tan is a fake tan"? Time to add a caveat to the otherwise truthful phrase. Some women have been injecting themselves with Melanotan, an illegal drug that stimulates melanin production, therefore creating a darker skin tone.

Doctors worry that the ingredients activate potentially cancerous skin cells, which could increase the likelihood of skin cancer. In the short term, side effects aren't so cool. After accidentally using 20 units in one go, 36-year-old beautician Caroline Scott became bedridden, but that didn't stop her from trying again:

"I did feel a bit nauseous again, but that soon passed and a week later I developed an even, golden tan. But although I was pleased with the results, I noticed that my moles looked a bit darker and more pronounced. . . I realized that I had no idea what the long-term effects were, and the changes in my moles worried me because that can be a sign of skin cancer. I’ve since decided to place my health above vanity."

While scientists investigate the safety of the drug, women are still buying it on the black market. (In the UK, it's illegal to sell Melanotan, but buying it is legal.) I think it should go without saying, but ladies: Do not inject yourselves with unknown substances to get a tan! If you absolutely have to have a golden glow, fake it with self-tanner. With so many options available, there's simply no reason to jab yourself with a potentially shady medicine.

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